[Markstar]

Hmm, while I was an exchange student in the US, I got that exact speach house from a friend's father ("hands on the wheel unless asked to do otherwise, stay friendly, no sudden moves"). However, I was very white (a geek who didn't get out much) and he was a white Mormon. That was in 1997 and since my friend had obviously heard that speech many times before, I just assumed that's what all kids are taught over there...

[MisterBastahrd]

Did he tell you about how you shouldn't act suspicious when you walk into a convenience store lest the employees stalk you? Did he warn you that attempting to sell a house in this country will automatically result in a lower sale price from your own agent than if you were white? There are literally hundreds of these examples.

[hbrn]

Notice how you're moving the goalpost.

> shouldn't act suspicious when you walk into a convenience store lest the employees stalk you

I understand it's tempting to blame it on racism, but please go talk to non-white store owners. They do the same thing, it's not about the race.

You have to pick which battle you're going to fight.

Either racism today is the major problem. Or there's racism in the past that lead to poverty in the present. Those are two different lenses dictating two different strategies.

You can choose to feel righteous and fight ever-elusive racism.

Or you can chose to be pragmatic and fight poverty.

Being righteous is definitely more pleasant and convincing to the masses, but it rarely produces better results than being pragmatic.